Pålåbran 07/02/2011: Maloffan

Maloffan (muh-LOAF-fan):

1. Transported, toted, hauled, transferred, carried from one place to another.
2. Past time, recently, previous, some time ago, previously.
3. Exceedingly, surpassingly, superlatively, notably, excessively, extremely, amazingly, preeminently, immeasurably.
4. Passed by, crossed by, gone/went by.

Note: Loffan is the Chamorro word for "transport" or "carry." This allows for maloffan to have various different applications. The first definition is straightforward and literal, in a figurative sense the 2nd is also fairly clear (the 4th is just like the 2nd), and the 3rd is a similar to English when you say that someone got "carried away."

Note: The 4th definition of  maloffan cannot be used in active voice, meaning you can't say "pass the car in front of you" using maloffan. In this case you would most likely use the word upos (pass - as in a race).

Uses:
"Manmaloffan i trastes-ña siha esta ginen i tenda para i gima'-ña." = "Her furniture (stuff) was already transported from the store to her house."
"I maloffan na tiempo." = "Past time." = "Time gone by."
"Esta maloffan i ora annai para u fåtto mågi." = "The time is past when they would be here."
"Maloffan gue' dudos." = "She extremely showoff-ish."
"Maloffan yo' ñålang." = "I am overly hungry."
"Maloffan hao ya ni sikiera un ayu'os yo'." = "You passed by and didn't bother to wave at me."
"Hu li'e' si Juan annai maloffan yo' gi che'cho'-ña." = "I saw John when I passed by his job."

Kåntan Chamoru: Nobia Nene (Johnny Sablan)

Here's another one of my favorite old time Chamorro songs. The translation isn't word-for-word, it's more contextual, if you would like the word for word translation, let me know.

Also, if it's too high, you can transpose it from A to G by A=>G, A7=>G7, D=>C, E7=>D7, F#m=>Em.

Nobia Nene
as Johnny Sablan

[A]                              [D]

I puti'on, yanggen gumupu
(When the star flies)

    [A]

gi islan i langet,
(on our heavenly island)

                                                   [E7]

oggan guatu gi tronkon mapågåhes.
(it lands in a base of clouds)

              [A]       [D]

Annai hu li'e' si neni
(When I saw baby)

                   [A]

åntes di ha dingu yo', 
(before she left me,)

             [A]                       [E7]

ya ha sångan åntes di hu maigo' na
(and she said before I slept that)

               [A]    [A7]

ha guaiya yo'. 
(she loved me.)

Chorus:

                  [D]            [E7]

Hågu nai neni, hågu na pålao'an,
(You, baby, you girl,)
           [A]                [F#m]

hu guiguifi, hå'åni yan puengi,
(I dream about, day and night,)
               [D]                [E7]

sa' iyo-mu yo', ya iyo-ku hao,
(because I'm yours, and you're mine,)

          [A]   [A7]
nobia neni. 
(sweetheart.)
               [D]                     [E7]

Hågu na pålao'an, hågu nai neni,
(You, girl, you, baby,)
                    [A]          [F#m]

hå'åni yan puenge, hu guiguife,
(day and night I dream about,)
               [D]                [E7]

sa' iyo-mu yo', ya iyo-ku hao, 
(because I'm yours, and you're mine,)
           [A]   [E7]

nobia neni.
(sweetheart.)

                [A]            [D]

Sesso hu hahasso i tiempo
(I'm always thinking about the time)
            [A]

pot hågu neni yan i flores-mu.
(of you, girl, and your flowers.)
             [A]                 [E7]

Annai un dingu yo' gi un puengi,
(when you left me one night,)
              [A]       [D]

lao esta neni ti hu langak
(but, baby, I can't stand it)
             [A]

ya triste yo' yan gof måhålang.
(I'm sad and missing you.)
               [A]           [E7]

Konne' yo' neni ya ta hita 
(Take me baby, and we'll go together) 

              [A]   [A7]
gi langet isla.
(to the heavenly island.)

(Chorus)... [F#m]

                    [D]                     [E7]

Sa' iyo-mu yo', ya iyo-ku hao,
(Because I'm yours, and you're mine,)

           [A]
nobia neni.
(sweetheart.)

Pålåbran 06/12/2011: Ågupa'

Ågupa' (uh-GOO-pa'): Tomorrow

Note: By adding the comparative suffix ña, you form ågupå'ña (the day after tomorrow).

Uses:
"Ågupa' bai hu bisita i tiå-hu." = "I will visit my aunt tomorrow."
"Ki ora para un facho'cho' ågupa'?" = "What time are you working tomorrow?"
"Ti siña hu cho'guiyi hao på'go, lao hunggan gi agupa'." = "I can't do it for you now, but tomorrow, yes."

Pålåbran 06/04/2011: Luhan

Luhan (LOO-han): Frightened, scared, terrified, horrified, fear.

Uses:
"Kao luhan hao nu roller coaster?" = "Are you scared of roller coasters?"
"Munga luluhan." = "Don't be scared."
"Luhan si Juan annai måpuha i botte." = "John was scared when the boat capsized."

Kantan Chamoru: Apu Magi (JD Crutch)

It's been said that one of the best helps in learning a language is listening to songs in the language. I think this is a good idea, the only problem with it is that in Chamorro, many of the singers aren't the easiest to understand. So, here are the lyrics to one of my favorites with chords and a tranlsation:

Apo' Mågi
as J.D. "Crutch"

[G]

Ai, siña ti un tungo', taiguhi tiningo' put hågu,

(Oh,  you might not have known, I thought that way of you,)

[G]                                               [D]

ya ti hu achakka' hao yanggen un dingu.

(and I don't blame you if you leave.) 

[D]

Lao hu li'e' hao gi painge, ya un lågo' gi matå-mu,

(But I saw you last night, with a tear in your eye,) 

[D]   [D7]                                     [G]

ya ha påcha yo' mås ki pa bai hu sångan.

(and it touched me more than I'll say.) 

[G]

Lao ti hu hongge i che'lu-hu, na po un na'puti yo' nai på'go,

(But I don't believe, my sister, that you're going to hurt me now,)

[G]        [G7]                             [C]

ni guåhu gagaige mågåhet gi fi'on-mu

(with me truly being there by your side.)

Chrous:

[C]   [D]            [G]

Apo' mågi gi apagå'-hu, 

(Lean here on my shoulder,)

[G]            [Em]                   [C]

ya bai hu sångåni hao ni estoriå-hu,
(and I'll tell you my story,)

[C]   [D]    [G] [G7]

sa' hågu ya-hu.

(because I love you.)

[G7] [C]   [D]    [G]

Apo' mågi gi apagå'-hu, 

(Lean here on my shoulder,)

[G]            [Em]                    [C]

ya bai hu sångåni hao ni estoriå-hu,

(and I'll tell you my story,) 

[C]   [D]    [G]

sa' hågu ya-hu.

(because I love you.)

[G]                                                                                [D]

Ai, siña ti un hongge na i korason-hu kumåkåti, ai, pot hågu.

(Oh, you might not believe that my heart is crying, oh, for you.)

[D]

Ai, lao hågu i che'lu-hu, ai, i mågåhet ti un hahasso,

(Oh, but you my sister, oh, you don't remember the truth,)

[D]     [D7]                               [G]

na pot hågu yo' nai neni na måfåtto.

(that it's for you that I've come.) 

[G]

Lao un na'klåru giya guåhu yan mågåhet na i ti ya-mu,

(But you've made it clear to me, and you don't like the truth.)

[G]         [G7]                                          [C]

ya bai hu hånao yanggen nå'ån-hu na ti hu hungok.

(and I'll go if I don't hear my name.)

 

Chorus (2x)

Pålåbran 05/12/2011: Åpmam

Åpmam (UP-mam): Ago, past, gone, awhile, for sometime, since olden times.

Note: The above definition is from Topping's dictionary, but another way to view this word is as "long time."

Uses:
"Åpmam na tiempo." = "A long time ago."
"Ti åpmam yo' tåtte." = "I'll be back soon (not long)."
"Ti åpmam yo' guatu." = "I'll be there soon." / "I won't be long getting there."
"Åpmam ti umali'e' hit." = "We haven't seen each other for a long time." / "Long time no see."
"Ti åpmam bai yute'." = "I'll throw it away soon."

Pålåbran 05/09/2011: Låkse

Låkse (LUCK-see): Sew, stitch.

Uses:
"Ya-ña manlåkse si Rosa." = "Rosa likes to sew."
"Ha låkse i nuebu na chininå-hu." = "She sewed my new shirt."
"Kao hågu lumåkse i bestidu?" = "Were you the one that sewed the dress."